A new academic paper on nutritional inequality in the U.S. sheds some light on the relevance of “culture” in eating and nutrition. For many years, economists and public health experts have known that a substantial dietary discrepancy exists between the rich and poor.
In short: high-income households eat more healthily because they tend to buy more fruits, vegetables and proteins. However, the exact mechanisms that underpin this discrepancy cannot be fully explained by supply-side factors (the cost or availability of food) – they aren’t yet fully understood and remain subject to debate.
According to this new working paper from the National Bureau of Economic Research, groups that eat less healthily include consumers who (1) make less money, (2) have less education, (3) possess lower levels of nutrition knowledge and (4) live in specific geographic areas (like south central Montana). This latter point – the role of regions in contributing to nutritional inequality – suggests that culture and habits play a more prominent role than was anticipated. It also raises the possibility that intergenerational transmission of preferences partly dictates food choices.
So unfortunately, this is a systemic world issue with many viable solutions. The disparities in food choices are blatant.
It’s no accident that impoverished populations eat poorly, with higher rates of obesity and related preventable disease. A combination of desperation, relentlessly targeted advertising on the part of processed food companies and junk food restaurants, and poor nutritional education keep lower classes of affluent nations unhealthy, whereas consumers in newer rising economies see packaged and fast foods as status symbols. An under-served global epidemic, particularly childhood obesity. At least as important to the global wellness dialog as yoga resorts, sleep deprivation studies, et al. Please, let’s have more of this GWI.